Cold, dry air from the north crosses warm, damp air
from the south over the United States’ mid section, an area known as “Tornado
Alley.” This is the only area in the world that regularly sees tornados. These
storms occur in greatest frequency as seasons change in the spring and fall. A
tornado struck the Arkansas Delta town of Caraway tearing down trees, utility
poles, and power lines. A number of homes were heavily damaged. A beekeeper
friend’s home sat in the storm’s path; it sustained minor damage. The beekeeper
and his wife ducked safely into their storm shelter as the storm struck. Large trees fell around them. The beekeeper checked
on family, friends, and bee hives; all survived the storm. Beekeepers often
divide their bee hives among several bee yards to lessen the losses from catastrophic
events like fires, floods, or wind storms.
Caraway sits between the Mississippi River and the
St. Francis Sunken Lands, a depression formed during one of North America’s
most powerful series of earthquakes. In the winter of 1811 through 1812,
earthquakes shook the area, transforming the surface of the land. The soil liquefied,
and sand blew high into the air. The Mississippi River flowed backwards to fill
large depressed areas which became lakes. Today, flooding in the St. Francis
Sunken Lands area is controlled by a series of earthen levees, natural rivers,
and man-made canals. South of Caraway where opposing winds crossed, two rivers
cross in an amazing engineering feat. At Rivervale, Arkansas one river, a
channelized canal, flows in a concrete tube under the St. Francis River. The
rivers’ crossing can be seen in today’s photo. The concrete tube is visible
horizontally under the surface of the St. Francis’ waters. Nearby, the Marked
Tree Lock and Siphons are unique water control designs; the Siphons are the
only structures in the United States where tubes are used to lift a river over
a levee. The St. Francis River is lifted out of the Sunken Lands.
--Richard
Posts
